| Historian, teacher and experimental aircraft enthusiast Dr.
Roger Jones of Berea will fly his powered hang-glider from
the field behind the Berea College Alumni Building to Lackey's
airport in Madison County on Friday afternoon, May 10.
The flight will be part of Jones' presentation in Berea College's
monthly Faculty Colloqium series spotlighting current faculty
research projects.
For the past five years, Jones has been writing a book on
the history of aerodynamics, concentrating on the realm of
low-speed gliders and sailplanes. As part of the project, Jones
also has realized a 40-year dream to learn to fly.
From 4-5 p.m. in Phelps Stokes Chapel, Jones will present
an illustrated talk on his research, from the beginnings of
hydrodynamics in fountain design in the 1700s, to hang gliding
and very low speed aerodynamics in the present. At approximately
5 p.m., the program will move across the street to the field
behind Presser Hall where the ultralight craft will be set
up. After a brief overview of the craft's design, and weather
permitting, Jones will take off for Lackey's airport on Menelaus
Rd.
In the event of unsuitable weather as of 3 p.m. that day,
Jones will set up the craft in the shelter of Phelps Stokes
for viewing only. Unfavorable conditions include fog, rain
(3000 foot visibility is required) or winds greater than about
15 mph.
The powered hang-glider wing was designed and built by a company
in Australia. The motor carriage was designed and built at
Lookout Mountain Flight Park south of Chattanooga, where Jones
learned to hang glider. He also has flown sailplanes in South
Carolina, and ultralight airplanes at Hopkinsville in western
Kentucky.
Currently, Jones is vice-president of the local chapter of
the Experimental Aircraft Association and flies his ultralight
regularly from Lackey's airport.
Trained as a historian and philosopher of science at the University
of Chicago, Jones taught for twelve years at the University
of Tennessee in Knoxville before moving to Berea in 1988. Since
then, he has taught courses at the University of Kentucky and
at Berea College, where his wife Libby is director of the Center
for Effective Communication in the department of English and
theatre. Since 1997, Jones has worked as a full-time, free-lance
writer and editor.
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